With parks covering nearly a fifth of the city, Riga is probably best explored on foot. Most of the attractions are within walking distance of each other, and the terrain is flat.

You can hail taxis on the street or pre-book them by telephone, or you can also book them through using an app on your phone. Riga Taksometru Parks (tel:+371 8383) and Riga Taxi (Tel: 8000 1010, in Latvia only) are both reputable companies. Whenever possible, you should only use the official metered taxis, otherwise you might be vulnerable to extortion. When taking non-metered taxis, it is essential to agree on the fare in advance. A tip of 10% is generally expected and appreciated.

The city-owned Rigas Satiksme operates the trams (street-cars), buses, minibuses, and trolleybuses. They all use the same e-ticket system called e-talons. A single fare covers a ride on any one route independent of the distance (i.e. a transfer requires payment of two fares). However, if you enter a vehicle with the same route and in the same direction within one hour, your ticket is still valid and will not be charged again. The Rigas Satiksme website provides a great interface for planning a trip within Riga.

Single fares are about €2 at all times if paid on board to the driver (cash only, exact change preferred) or €1.15 for bus/tram/trolleybus/minibus trips if an e-talon card is purchased in advance from a ticket office, vending machine, press kiosk, Narvesen shop, or other location listed on the Rigas Satiksme website. These electronic tickets are for one time charge only, without deposit. You pay for the number of rides that you want on them (even if it is just one ride), and discard after using up all rides. A 5-ride ticket costs €5.75, 10 rides are €10.90, and 20 rides are €20.70. Also available are tickets for 2 trips for 2 people costing €4.60 and 2 trips for 3 people costing €6.90. Unlimited ride 24-hour cards cost €5.00, 3-calendar-day cards cost €10, and 5-calendar-day cards cost €15. The cards all are activated by using the yellow device in the vehicles. You must activate all cards every time that you enter a vehicle. The Riga Card allows the holder to travel free on public transportation.

Note: The pricing information above was accurate when it was published, April 2020, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

Tram lines are numbered 1–11; bus lines are numbered 1-55; trolley bus lines are numbered 1–27. Minibus lines have numbers 200-280. Night buses are numbered N1-N10. While the numbers are similar, the routes are completely different, for example, bus #2 is totally different from trolleybus #2. Tram numbers on stops are identified by `Tr`, buses (not trolleybuses) by `A`. Stops are marked by a blue rectangular sign with a stylized white image of the vehicle and lists the numbers that stop there. Timetables and stops of the route are also usually posted at stops and are fairly accurate. Bus routes are marked `A`, but tram and trolley bus routes are marked `T` on timetables, except tram timetables should have red background for the `T` letter and trolley bus - yellow. With the exception of minibuses, the vehicles include an LCD screen with next stop information.

Trams are generally the fastest public transportation apart from trains. Although they are on street level and the rails are not physically separated from the rest of the traffic, in all but the busiest rush hours they have the right of way. Minibuses are smaller and thus more maneuverable than buses and trolley buses, making them the second-fastest mode of transport.

Riga has a reasonable network of well-maintained roads. However, driving in the city can be frightening, as other road users are generally aggressive and fast. It is not advisable to get around Riga by car. The streets in the city are the same as it was initially planned a hundred years ago, or more, and traffic congestions are the norm during working hours, which is most of the day.

It can be difficult to find a parking spot in Riga during working hours. In the very center of the old town of Riga and on the Kipsala island parking services require a fee in certain streets. In the old town this can be up to around €8/hour.

There are several car rental offices at the Riga airport as well as in other parts of the town. You can even rent a cheap Soviet-style car.

Downtown Riga has a lot of cobblestone streets, so be prepared for a bumpy ride. Bike lanes and paths exist but are not always marked clearly. On main roads, you may occasionally end up finding yourself on the wrong side of a guardrail.

SIXT Latvia operates self-service bicycle rentals at bicycle stands across the city. The service is available to both residents and guests of Riga. You must have a mobile phone to register, but registration is free. The bikes have 3 speeds and lights, but no helmets. The cost is around €0.99 per 30 minutes (the first minute of a subsequent half hour counts as a full 30 minutes), with a maximum of €9 per day.

Alternatively, ask your hotel if they provide bicycle rental.